The Biggest Cruise News Stories of February

by Sarah Kuta
Last updated:: 8:05 AM ET, Tue February 27, 2024

February was a busy month for the cruise industry (Photo Credit: Adobe)

American Queen Voyages shut down in February (Photo Credit: American Queen Voyages)

MSC Cruises' MSC Opera. (photo via MSC Cruises Media)

A rendering of Celebration Key, slated to open in July 2025. (Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line)

PHOTO: The Queen Victoria becomes the largest passenger ship to sail the Amazon. (photo courtesy of Cunard Line)

Star of the Seas. (Photo Credit: Royal Caribbean International Media)

Star Breeze in the Marquesas Islands (Photo Credit: Sarah Kuta)

A rendering of the new Spirit of the Moselle river cruise ship (Photo Credit: Saga)

Spring Break travelers are hitting the high seas this year. (Photo Credit: Maridav / Adobe Stock)

Carnival Cruise Line's four Excel-class ships. (Photo Credit: Carnival Corporation & plc)

Utopia of the Seas. (Photo Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

Sunrise in Saint-Emilion, a UNESCO-designated medieval village near Bordeaux. (Photo Credit: Avalon Waterways)

Viking said its 2023 Europe itineraries are thriving. (photo via Viking)

February's Top Stories

1/13

February was a rollercoaster month for the cruise industry. While one cruise line was shutting down, others were celebrating record-breaking booking periods during wave season. In case you missed any of this month’s news, here are the top cruise stories of February 2024.

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American Queen Voyages Shuts Down

2/13

After trade organizations stopped selling American Queen Voyages because of service issues in January, the company ceased operations on February 20. Its parent company, Hornblower Group,?filed for?Chapter 11 bankruptcy?protection.?

Later, Strategic Value Partners, LLC (SVP) agreed to acquire Hornblower Group. SVP will sell American Queen Voyages—and if it can’t find a buyer, the cruise line will be shut down for good.

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More Red Sea Disruptions

3/13

The ongoing Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea remained a top concern for cruise executives in February. Multiple lines canceled or adjusted upcoming itineraries to avoid the region, including MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages. Royal Caribbean also decided to reroute its TikTok-famous 9-month world cruise.

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Carnival Corp. to Expand Celebration Key Pier

4/13

In late January, Carnival unveiled new details about its forthcoming private destination on Grand Bahama, Celebration Key. Then, this month, it announced plans to spend an additional $100 million to add two more berths to the pier at Celebration Key. That brings the total estimated cost of the project to $600 million and will allow the pier to accommodate four of Carnival’s largest Excel-class ships simultaneously.

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CDC Investigates Outbreak Aboard Cunard Ship

5/13

More than 150 people—129 passengers and 25 crew members—came down with a mysterious gastrointestinal illness while sailing aboard Cunard’s Queen Victoria on a 107-night world cruise. Because the ship visited U.S. ports in late January and early February, Cunard was required to report the outbreak to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.??

Cruise Lines Celebrate Record Bookings

6/13

With wave season in full swing, cruise lines are celebrating strong sales—with many companies breaking records. Cunard’s January bookings were the highest the cruise line has seen in a decade, while Royal Caribbean Group had its best wave booking weeks in the company’s history during the first five weeks of 2024.? Scenic Group USA—which includes Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises—also had record bookings in January.

Windstar Cruises Makes Big Moves in French Polynesia

7/13

After spending more than a decade in French Polynesia, Windstar Cruises’ 148-guest Wind Spirit bid the region farewell in early February. Now, the 312-passenger Star Breeze has taken over and will offer year-round sailings in the South Pacific, including trips to the remote Marquesas Islands. Windstar also unveiled a “mystery cruise” for April 2025.

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New River Cruise Ships Are Coming

8/13

Several river cruise lines announced new ships this month, including Saga and Riviera River Cruises. Riviera’s two new ships, Riviera Radiance and Riviera Rose will sail the Danube and Douro rivers in Europe.??

Travel Advisors Share the Biggest Mistakes Cruisers Make

9/13

From overpacking to skipping out on trip insurance, travelers make a lot of mistakes when booking cruises. Fortunately, travel advisors have seen it all and can help make your next cruise vacation a resounding success.

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Carnival Is Building Another Excel-Class Ship

10/13

The world’s biggest cruise company just keeps getting bigger: Carnival Corporation inked an agreement with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft to construct a fourth Excel-class cruise ship for Carnival Cruise Line. The ship will be the 10th Excel-class ship across four Carnival Corp. brands and is slated to debut in the spring of 2027.

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Royal Caribbean Orders Another Oasis-Class Ship

11/13

Royal Caribbean is also growing its fleet. The company has ordered its seventh Oasis-class ship from French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The new vessel—which will be the sister ship to the forthcoming Utopia of the Seas—is scheduled to set sail for the first time in 2028.

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Avalon Waterways to Offer Bordeaux Sailings

12/13

Wine, anyone? Avalon Waterways will offer new river cruises in Bordeaux, France, in 2025. The new offerings represent a 30 percent increase to Avalon’s sailings in France. Starting next year, travelers will be able to sail the Garonne, Dordogne, Seine, Rhine, Sa?ne and Rh?ne rivers with Avalon.

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